Chapter 13 Government
Order by
35 terms
Terms | Definitions |
|---|---|
 Bicameral Legislature | A lawmaking body made up of two cambers or parts. The house based on population directly elected and the senate in which each state is given two chosen by legislatures. |
| Filibuster | An attempt to defeat a bill in the Senate by talking indefinitely thus prevents the Senate from taking action on the bill. Prolonged speech or speeches, made to delay action in a legislative assembly. |
| Marginal Districts | Political districts in which candidates elected to the House win in a close election, typically less than 55%. |
| Safe Districts | Districts in which incumbents win by margins of 55% or more. |
| Conservative Coalition | An alliance between Republican and conservative democrats. |
| Majority Leader | The legislative leader elected by party members holding the majority of the seats in the House or Senate. |
| Minority Leader | The legislative leader elected by party members holding a minority of seats in the House or senate. |
| Whip | A senator or representative who helps the party leader stay informed about what party members are thinking. |
| Party Polarization | A vote in which a majority of democratic legislators oppose a majority of Republican legislatures. |
| Caucus | An association of Congress members created to advance a political ideology or a regional, ethnic, or economic interest. A closed meeting of the members of a political party either to select a candidate for office or to agree on legislative position. |
| Standing Committees | Permanently established legislative committees that consider and are responsible for legislation with a certain subject area. Less permanent with specific responsibilities. |
| Select Committees | Congressional committees appointed for a limited time and purpose. Lasting for only a few congresses. |
| Joint Committees | Committees on which both senators and representatives serve. |
| Conference Committees | A joint committee appointed to resolve differences in the Senate and House versions of the same bill. |
| Public Bill | Legislative bill that deals with matters of general concern. |
| Private Bill | A legislative bull that deals only with specific, private, personal, or local patters. |
| Simple Resolution | An expression of opinion either in the House or Senate to settle procedural matters in either body. Rules under which each body will operate. |
| Concurrent Resolution | An expression of opinion without the force of law that requires the House and senate, but not the president. Settles housekeeping and procedural matters that effect both matters. |
| Joint Resolution | A formal expression of congressional opinion that must be approved by both houses of Congress and by the president; constitutional amendments need not ne signed by the president. Requires approval of both houses and the signature of the president; same as the law. |
| Multiple Referral | A congressional process whereby a bill may be referred to several important committees. |
| Sequential Referral | A congressional process by which a Speaker may send a bill to a second committee after the first is finished acting. Refer parts of the bill to different committees. |
| Discharge Petition | A device by which any member of the House, after a committee has had the bill for 30 days, may, may petition to have it brought to the floor. |
| Closed Rule | An order from the House Rules Committee that sets a time limit on debate; forbids a bill from being amended on the floor. |
| Open Rule | An order from the House Rules Committee that permits a bill to be amended on the floor. |
| Restrictive Rule | An order from the House Rules Committee that permits certain kinds of amendments but not others to e made into a bill on the floor. |
| Quorum | The minimum number of members who must be present for business to be conducted in Congress. |
| Quorum Call | A roll call in either house of congress to see whether minimum member of representatives required conducting business is present. |
| Cloture Rule | A rule used b the Senate to end or limit debate. Requires that 16 senators sign a petition to move cloture. |
| Double-tracking | A procedure to keep the Senate going during a filibuster in which the disputed bill is shelved temporarily so that the Senate can get on with there business. |
| Voice Vote | A congressional voting price sure in which members shout "yea" in approval or "nay" in disapproval permitting members to vote quickly or anonymously on bills. |
| Division Vote | A congressional voting procedure when members stand and are counted. |
| Teller Vote | A congressional voting procedure when members pass between two tellers the "yeas" and the "nays" second. |
| Roll-Call vote | A congressional voting procedure that consists of members answering "yea" or "nay" to their names |
| Pork-Barrel Legislation | Legislation that gives tangible benefits to constituents in several districts or states in the hoe if winning votes. |
| Franking privlege | The ability of members to mail letters to their constituents free of charge by substituting their facsimile signature for postage. Keep constituents informed sent newsletters. |
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